I've applied to be an AET, all I have to do is have my medical and receive the letter which says I'm accepted (Which I'm sure will happen). I've been told by the AFCO it will be 5 months before I start at Raleigh.

I'm 20 years old and my ambition is not to be an AET but to be an AEO. However I haven't got an engineering degree and besdies, I would like to join as a rating first and work my way up. Could someone possibly tell me how long it would take from training until I got the chance to try and become an AEO and what route I would have to take?

I've got 6 GCSE's grades C and above and I've got 180 UCAS points. I did English language and literature at uni but dropped out because of sheer boredom and disappointment of the experience. In the 5 months between now and my starting training I plan to do a minimum of 1 hour of maths and physics everyday so that I'm in a good position to dive into the more academic parts of training. I'm willing to work my arse of and put on hold my social life both now and at training in order to pursue a more fruitful career. One thing I would hate more than anything would be to be undervalued, underused and held back when I could honestly see myself doing bigger jobs with more responsibility!

I joined up as an AET about 6 months and had the same ambitions as you to become an AEO. The AET course is quite demanding especially if you have ambitions of accelerated promotion. You have to have an average of 90% throughout the course and be a good rating to be considered for fast track. This would fast track you to leading hand probably within 2 years max and onto Petty Officer within 5 years. To become an AEO you would have to gain the reqired qualifications which I think is a degree or 240 UCAS point. Also you would need a recommendation by your Divisional Officer. I think you could become an AEO if your lucky in about 8-10 years. Don't underestimate the role of an AET. IT is probably the most technical branch of the Royal Navy with a very resposible role of maintaining the Navys multimillion pound aircrafts. Unfortunatly the pay scale doesn't show this! as we get the same as all other ratings. Accelerated promotion is also there for the taking as I mentioned if you are focused.

If you have ambitions to become an officer there are doors open for you now. With 180 UCAS points the AFCO should have told you you could apply to be an officer now In branches such as Warfare. However if its definatly enginnering officer for you, then get stuck into being an AET then work hard to achieve your goals.

IT is probably the most technical branch of the Royal Navy with a very resposible role of maintaining the Navys multimillion pound aircrafts. Unfortunatly the pay scale doesn't show this! as we get the same as all other ratings.

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Unless you've experienced other branches, it's a bit silly really saying that it's the most technical branch in the RN. It isn't-I'm speaking as an ex-Junglie who branch changed after 5 years. Every branch have their role to play and the whole mob would probably fall apart if they didn't but to come out with a comment like that is ridiculous. I did my AEM training and completed it with an average of well over 90%. It's not the most technical training I've done in the Navy-that I can assure you very much.

BTW, I think you'll find that Medics and Divers are on the higher pay scale as AB's. AET's are on the bottom pay scale with everyone else.

Fair enough matelot. I have not experienced any other branches in the RN thats why I used the word 'Probably' and not 'Definately'. My opinion was based mainly on that we are told we are the top 10% as you have to achieve one of the highest scores at the AFCO pre joining test. A Score of 70 would allow me to be an ETME but not an AET. I dont make the rules. Im not saying one branch is better than the other, I am quite aware the Royal navy is a well oiled machine and to operate at full strenght it needs all its 'cogs' to run smoothly. It was an opinion based on technicality and Im sure many others will agree that AET especially at leading hand level IS one of the most technical branches in the RN. I may not have the experience as you rightly pointed out but does it warrent calling me silly? or Ridiculous?

Don't Take this the wrong way Matlot, Just defending my corner with a bit of banter!!! Im sure you can handle it, a man of your experience.